The last time I saw Ghost was at Soundwave Festival. It was an interesting performance because the band played before Bring Me The Horizon, so the people in the crowd were generally perplexed by what the hell was happening on the stage.

Several albums later and Ghost has gone from strength to strength. Not that you would think so if you looked on any comment section about this band, who seem to be a popular band to hate upon. But enough about the haters. We’re not here to talk about them. We’re here to talk about their sold-out show at the Tivoli tonight.

Grim Rhythm takes to the stage with very little fanfare.

Armed to the teeth with the kind of songs that recall the likes of AC/DC and at times Motorhead. You just get the sense the people in the crowd are just watching because there’s at least something on the stage. Otherwise, the band is just an excuse to get a few more drinks before the band you actually want to see comes out. At the end of the day Grim Rhythm is a competent enough band, but if you have ever been to ANY pub in Australia, well, you have heard it all before.

The moment the curtain comes across and the haunting piano starts, the crowd are transfixed to the stage in anticipation. This anticipation builds and builds before the haunting tones of ‘Ashes’ greet our ears and Cardinal Copia emerges from the fog while his band of Nameless Ghouls begins this satanic mass to the menacing ‘Rats.’

From this moment onwards, Copia has the crowd in rapt attention as he glides around the stage giving his sweat, body, and voice to the glory of Satan.

The band played a good mix of old and new songs with the theatricality of the new album Prequelletaking an even more elevated state grandeur as they are performed on the stage. Every single word tonight is sung back to the band, with every song taking on an even heavier version of the album, particular highlights are the glorious ‘From The Pinnacle to the Pit’ and the throwback to the early days in ‘Ritual.’ Both take on a new life tonight as they sound absolutely unstoppable as if they’ve been ripped straight out of the bowels of hell, kicking and screaming into the light.

Taking a break for a moment. There is an extended band jam in the form of ‘Miasma’ where the Nameless Ghouls get to show off their technical prowess before Papa Nihil emerges from the darkness with a saxophone in tow and proceeds to blow your fucking mind with a solo ripped straight from the gods themselves.

The set ends with the rapturous ‘Monstrance Clock.’ It’s the perfect song to finish the night off with, complete with the theatricality you’ve seen on display for the entire night. It transports you to the end of the world, slowly enfolding you in the glorious arms of Satan. Just wow.

Tonight Ghost has delivered an unmissable, show-stopping performance. The kind of performance we will be talking about for the rest of the year. Proving once and for all the devil really does indeed have the best tunes.